KEY POINTS:
A doctor's chance meeting with an Aids expert is being credited with helping to acquit a Christchurch man accused of raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl.
Christchurch paediatric surgeon Spencer Beasley initially gave evidence that he did not believe injuries inflicted on George Gwaze's niece, Charlene Makaza, were caused naturally or were associated with her HIV-positive status.
Charlene - an orphan who lived with Mr Gwaze and his family in Christchurch - died in January last year.
Mr Gwaze's sperm was found on her underpants, and medical evidence was given that injuries indicated she had been sexually assaulted.
A jury found him not guilty last week.
Defence lawyer Jonathan Eaton had argued that Charlene's death was the result of an infection that overwhelmed her and that the sperm could have been the result of an "innocent transfer" in the family's washing.
He has now revealed that halfway through the trial Dr Beasley attended a conference in Hong Kong where he met South African paediatrician Heinz Rode.
Professor Rode told Dr Beasley that Charlene's symptoms were consistent with a group of children with HIV who had died suddenly.
Dr Beasley called Christchurch police and asked them to put the trial on hold to consider the new information, and after a lengthy argument it was ruled that Professor Rode's evidence could go before the jury.
Crown prosecutor Chris Lange has asked the Solicitor-General to consider an appeal against Mr Gwaze's acquittal after the Crown failed to have the trial aborted in its final days.
